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Debi
- 37, Female
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Making people Aware!
And for my niece:
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Debi's Page
Profile Information
- Hometown:
- McLendon-Chisholm
- I Live: (City, State)
- McLendon-Chisholm
- Years in Fire/EMS:
- 4
- Why I Joined the Fire/EMS:
- Originally to support my Husband, then I fought my first fire and it was all over, I was hooked.
- Relationship Status:
- Married
- Primary Fire/EMS Department:
- McLendon-Chisholm, TX
- Department Type:
- Fire/Rescue Department - Volunteer
- Rank/Role There:
- Firefighter
- Years With This Department/Agency
- 4
- Other Past or Current Departments:
- Just this one!
- My Training:
- 1 Story Structure, 2 Story Structure, Wildland Fire, Search and Rescue
- About Me:
- I am a 36-year-old very happily married mother of 2 boys who are very active in baseball while trying other sports (football and soccer). My husband has been a firefighter for 14 years and in 2002 I decided to join him. I originally joined the dept as an events coordinator, strictly admin, to show support for my husband and the community. I trained with the guys, I just didn't run calls. Then one day we got a call, it was mid day, hot and they needed manpower, so I loaded up and went. I was hooked. Did I mention my husband was Training Officer and Assistant Chief during my time on the Dept? Well then you see that not only did I have to start at the bottom and work my way up, I had to fight with everything I had to get respect. My husband will openly admit he was harder on me than "the guys" because he wanted me to be better than "the guys". It was very hard for me to see at the time, cause I was working my butt off trying to prove myself, but looking back now I know why he pushed me harder than anyone else and I am grateful because "the guys" respect me as an equal and treat me as such. I was promoted to Training Coordinator and then Captain eventually. This was not only an honor but also a challenge. It soon became a challenge I was not able to master. I lost my babysitter and was no longer able to make the mandatory meetings. I could not leave my children home alone as they were too young, and even though I have a passion for this I could not ask my very seasoned, experienced, Fire Academy Certified, 4 TX A&M schooled, 4 Longview schooled husband to walk away from his passion or our community so me and my 1 little Ft Worth weekend play school and 4 years of grass fires experience could stay. Who would you want to come to your fire him or me? Be honest! You would want him. I know if you saw me coming you would cringe and say, "They sent a girl?" Anyway that is where I am, not fighting fire but missing it, wanting back into it and waiting for the opportunity to go through the whole fight to the top again.
UPDATE AS OF 07/06/08:
Well, that was me up until a month or so ago. I have been diagnosed with Lupus. I am now working to accept that I will never return to the Fire Department as a Firefighter. Lupus has successfully taken away one of my dreams but I will not let it take anything else from me. I may never be a Firefighter again, but I am a FIGHTER and I will not let this beat me!
- Day Job:
- SAHM
- Side Jobs or Other Organizations:
- The Lupus Foundation of America - www.lupus.org
- Personal Site/Profile:
- http://www.myspace.com/firelady75189
- Top Issues Facing Responders:
- With Volunteer departments, recruiting members who are serious about the work and keeping them. It seems there is always one who stirs things up and runs good guys off.
- I Love Being in Fire/EMS Because:
- It is a passion, there is no other way to describe it.
Debi's Blog
Walk Now For Lupus Dallas
Walk for Lupus
April 25, 2009
Historical Park
Farmers Branch, Texas
9:00 am
I have been diagnosed with this disease and will be walking to raise awareness and funds for research. I have started a walk Team, Butterfly Battalion.
If you would like to join my team either for moral supp… Continue
Posted on November 25, 2008 at 4:10pm —
Wouldn't ya know it?
I have SLE or as it is more commonly known, Lupus. If you don't know, it is an Auto Immune Disorder which means the immune system cannot tell the difference between fo… Continue
Posted on July 3, 2008 at 8:30pm —
I Love My Life!
Posted on April 8, 2008 at 7:30pm —
Where I have been
Life is good!
You never know how you will react or how you will handle things until they happen. 2 months ago I would have thought I would fall apart and become a complete basket case. I now know I am stronger than I thought myself to be, and I have a complete new outlook on things.
This whole situation has kinda put my thoughts into a new perspective. From the moment I got the call about the accident my prayers went from "please God let him live" to "Thank you… Continue
Posted on March 29, 2008 at 11:30pm —
Who am I?
I heard something on Miami Ink last night that got my attention. It was a mom getting a tatoo to help her remember who she was because she had lost herself in her kids. I don't think loosing yourself in your kids is necessarily a bad thing, but you have to remember who you are no matter what happens.
When I got married I immediately became "T's ole' lady" and I carried this identity for a few years. Then our first born became my identi
… ContinuePosted on July 25, 2007 at 10:34am — 3 Comments
Comment Wall (19 comments)
- At 9:19pm on September 1, 2009,
Amanda Cherry said… - Hey!
My name is Amanda and I am trying to figure out what products are best for female firefighters. I have worked as a firefighter for only three years so I am just getting started. Currently I am a student at Eastern Kentucky University in in the Fire & Safety Engineering Technology Program. Although I have only been a firefighter for two years I have had my fair share of small gloves that were still too big and pants that went up to my belly button! I was wondering if you could take the time out of your busy schedule to share some of your favorite/best fitting/most functional products for female firefighters. Weather it’s an awesome fitting pair of pants, A polo shirt that has sleeves that do not go down to your elbows, a pair of great gloves, or boots that have an awesome fit. It would be greatly appreciated if you could share your opinions with me. Thank you very much. Please feel free to e-mail me back at amanda_cherry4@eku.edu or leave me a comment.
Stay Safe,
Amanda Cherry
- At 8:10pm on February 2, 2009,
Harold Dawkins said… - Be Safe and take a look @ our site erfdnc.org. Thanks & be safe.
- At 9:46pm on December 13, 2008,
tito said… - I invite you to join the group Firefighters Argentinos and participate in the discussions Chau! a big hug http://www.firefighternation.com/group/tito2008
- At 2:02am on November 18, 2008,
Kelly Stanley-Huddleston said… - yes it is a tough process... i am a founding member of the tennessee firefighters burn foundation and have seen what mental stress a serious burn can have on a family. not only the survivor but the entire family. i think that marriages that dont make it through those "tough times" just were not strong in the begining. it is a testiment to your relationship that is was grounded before the tragedy! stay safe@
- At 2:24pm on November 9, 2008,
tito said…
- Debi your life story is incredible and shows a lot of strength and desire to fight me that everything you are going to be good, you command a hug and always willing to hear you talk about your fire and your city. Chau cuidate!
- At 12:46am on November 5, 2008,
Kelly Stanley-Huddleston said…
- hi... the colors here are so incredible right now!... i grew up in cali where we didnt see the changes of the season. well i preach fire safety everyday of my life since i went through the academy.(over 14 years ago) i was also a founding member of the Tennessee Firefighter's Burn Foundation and Camp Phoenix - a camp for children who are burn survivors. and i truley feel that teaching fire prevention and to lobby for better codes so that another child ( or any age person) never has to endure all that comes along with the burns is the most important thing i can do. as a firefighter the safest fire is the one that never started. being Mrs. tennessee us america 2009 allows me to use the crown to reach new audiences. and i feel that i can make a possitive change especially in tennessee where we are 2nd in the nation curently in fire deaths and have been in the top 10 for over 20 years.
- At 11:24pm on November 2, 2008,
tito said…
- Mantengamos contacto Debi y de nuevo gracias por el traductor, lei sobre tí y creo que tampoco es facil para tí aunque trnquila que para las mujeres bombero de Lomas de Zamora no es nada facil tampoco, el Argentino es un poco machista
- At 11:15pm on November 2, 2008,
tito said…
- At 11:13pm on November 2, 2008,
tito said…
- At 11:10pm on November 2, 2008,
tito said…
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